A police spokesman confirmed Tuesday that off-duty officers set up checkpoints on busy streets Friday, ordering motorists off the road at random to collect samples for a nationwide federal survey of alcohol- and drug-impaired driving.

Motorists were asked to pull into a parking lot, give a cheek swab and volunteer for a blood or breath test. Those who agreed were paid $10 to $50.

Those who didn’t could leave after a short interview.

But nobody was given the choice to just not stop.

Police officials will review whether policies were followed in setting up the checkpoint, the spokesman said, apologizing if anyone was “offended or inconvenienced.”

Look, if police order me to pull out of busy traffic on North Beach Street or McCart Avenue at lunch hour and line up in a parking lot, and it turns out it’s just a survey, that’s more than an inconvenience.

“When a federal agency wants you to go into a parking lot and line up for a cheek swab or a Breathalyzer, that sure doesn’t feel very voluntary,” said state Rep. Matt Krause, R-Fort Worth.

He looked into the checkpoints after a KXAS/Channel 5 report. The North Beach Street checkpoint near Western Center Boulevard mentioned in the TV report is in his district.

“I’m very uneasy about it,” Krause said. “It gives you cause for concern.”

According to a recent CNN report, surveys are being conducted in 30 cities nationwide by a Maryland-based contractor as part of a regularly scheduled study for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

About Bud Kennedy

Bud Kennedy is a homegrown Fort Worth guy who started out covering high school football here when he was 16. He went away to the Fort Worth Press and newspapers in Austin and Dallas, then came home in 1981.

Since 1987, he's written more than 1,000 weekly dining columns and more than 3,000 news and politics columns. If you don't like what he says about politics, read him on barbecue.